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Make Your Variax Sound 100% Better


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  I have problems yet with the 59 bridge cause the Ernie ball strings I use (the wraps on the ball ends go up the string too far and the string sticking out at the end vibrates againts the bridge and rings through).  Its a pain I may just install a tailstop.. 

 

 

 

Well I ordered vintage style tail piece so I just use the guitar strap hole for mounting no need to drill..  hopefully it works out

 

$_12.JPG

 

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Katie,

 

   Interesting tail piece! Let us know how it works out for you, and post some pictures of the finished project if you can!

yeah as soon as I get it I will post pics, I just didn't want to modify the 59, I think this way it fixes the bridge issues with out drilling holes for a tail stop..

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  • 2 weeks later...

IMG_0825.jpg

 

Well got my new tailpiece and I think it turned out awesome..  added Strap locks also.  for some reason after I added the tailpiece I was able to lower the action allot with out any buzzing so I am happy with that.  Just waiting for the strings to stretch enough to know how stable my tuning is.  but so far so good.. 

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Why wait? Stretch them...Yank on each one, retune and repeat until no matter how much you pull it returns to pitch. Takes 3 minutes.

Yeah I did that but thank you,  It still tends to stretch for a week or so..  very subtle but still it changes..  I do the method of fretting the 3rd fret and pull to my hearts content, then retuning until it stops shifting..

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Yeah I did that but thank you, It still tends to stretch for a week or so.. very subtle but still it changes.. I do the method of fretting the 3rd fret and pull to my hearts content, then retuning until it stops shifting..

A week, really? Can't say my experience has been the same...by the time a week has passed, I've played a set of strings to death and changed 'em again. Axe looks beautiful tho, enjoy!

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I've been using fret wraps for a little over a year. The difference when playing slide on Variax is night and day. Removes all unwanted overtones. Currently on sale $8 free shipping. I have no affiliation with fret wrap.   www,gruvgear.com\blowout

Actually thanks for the link they carry drum stick wraps that actually are quite cheep in price.  Thanks again

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Just a follow up, The tuning is rock solid so I am happy its actuall kinda easy to stretch the strings by just pressing down the tailpiece..  And I no longer need the velcro on the bridge or to wrap the strings (no more vibrations transfering through the bridge)..  It feels allot more comfortable to play now also has much lower action than before win win....

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  • 1 month later...

In lieu of any modifications to the guitar, I find that rolling up shirt sleeves on your picking arm and wearing a sweatband on your picking wrist cleans up the sound greatly. I'm absolutely amazed at how much noise a shirt cuff can make on those piezos. And lord help you if you wear bracelets or a watch... A pinky ring is like an anvil hammer.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hello, so, I've had a problem with my Variax that I haven't told yet and kept low, and that's a ringing noise on the G string.

 

I thought the piezo was oversensitive, but that's not the problem at all! It's the space between the saddle and the bridge, and the string that's left open makes a high pinking sound.

 

Wrapping tape on that part of the string killed the pinking noise completely!!

 

Maybe this is also related to the E plinking noise. I highly suggest if anyone has plinking noises on a string, try plucking the string behind the saddle and see if it makes a similar sound.

 

I hope this info helps!

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u mean the small space b2een 69s saddle+bridge?

 

the space that slopes from the back of the saddle down to the bridge plate where the ball ends are latched to. if you pluck it with your pick, it will make a sound. If you have the problem I did, that sound will be pronounced. 

 

Plucking the G string made that part of the string resonate, giving it a plink sound in the attack. I could also hear it resonate when I slid across the frets on that string.

 

Putting tape on that part of the string completely eliminated the problem, just like in one of the pictures of the guy putting velcro on his 59.

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bridge1.png

 

These parts can make a noise if you pick it with your pick. The G string on mine was pronounced when I picked it, and it sounded exactly like the sound that the G string was making when I picked the string normally. Putting a piece of masking tape around that part of the string made the noise go away.

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ok, now it's clear: u "install"  the tape prior 2 fitting the strings!

tks clay :)

 

Yes. It works wonders. The plinking noise was worst on spank, and was louder the lower the alternate tuning was. I put the tape on the string there and I hear absolutely no plink in spank baritone, which would be the worst I hear it.

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Yes. It works wonders. The plinking noise was worst on spank, and was louder the lower the alternate tuning was. I put the tape on the string there and I hear absolutely no plink in spank baritone, which would be the worst I hear it.

 

I've had similar sucess with jamming a small piece of foam rubber under the string just behind the bridge piece. 

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I've had similar sucess with jamming a small piece of foam rubber under the string just behind the bridge piece. 

 

Anything that'll touch that part of the string to prevent it from ringing will fix the problem if you have it on your guitar.

 

At first I thought it was the headstock area, but I put a pick holder on the strings there and it was still doing it. I thought it was the whole bad piezo thing, but it was actually that small space of string hanging between the saddle and the bridge that can make an unpleasant sound via sympathetic resonance.

 

I was really happy to find that out honestly because it means I don't have to worry about it anymore.

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bridge1.png

 

These parts can make a noise if you pick it with your pick. The G string on mine was pronounced when I picked it, and it sounded exactly like the sound that the G string was making when I picked the string normally. Putting a piece of masking tape around that part of the string made the noise go away.

I had tried plumbers tape with good results, using the 59 wrap around bridge.  It should also work well on the 69 bridge..  I think part of the issue is some of the manufacturers wrap too far up the string and it vibrates against part of the bridge( then the piezo picks it up as a artifact)...  with the tape or velcro it mutes the vibrations..

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i beta tested those....

it was love for the first 15 minutes....

second day it was pure hatred.

they had a clang like tone, were tense and more rigid than i liked.

maybe i should have just tried the next gauge down.. (i was using 10's)

this was on a regular telecaster and not a variax though....

they also had an oddly polished feel that i could never get used to as well.

 

 

try the D’Addario NYXL strings; they  will bend farther, sing louder 'n stay in tune better...

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I picked one of those up.... for less than 10$ shipped and no permanent mods to the variax..

trying it seemed like a no brainer.

probably the same place you got yours: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181390290221

 

IMG_0825.jpg

 

Well got my new tailpiece and I think it turned out awesome..  added Strap locks also.  for some reason after I added the tailpiece I was able to lower the action allot with out any buzzing so I am happy with that.  Just waiting for the strings to stretch enough to know how stable my tuning is.  but so far so good.. 

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i beta tested those....

it was love for the first 15 minutes....

second day it was pure hatred.

they had a clang like tone, were tense and more rigid than i liked.

maybe i should have just tried the next gauge down.. (i was using 10's)

this was on a regular telecaster and not a variax though....

they also had an oddly polished feel that i could never get used to as well.

 

i use 9's on 69s, excellent sounding, top playability, shining models, they stay in-tune longer...

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i beta tested those....

it was love for the first 15 minutes....

second day it was pure hatred.

they had a clang like tone, were tense and more rigid than i liked.

maybe i should have just tried the next gauge down.. (i was using 10's)

this was on a regular telecaster and not a variax though....

they also had an oddly polished feel that i could never get used to as well.

 

Jeez...I thought the Elixirs were expensive. $15/set...and you have to buy a 2-pack, it seems. For the lower gauges, I suppose a stronger string is useful if you snap them a lot. But I bend the daylights out of my 11's and haven't broken a string in years. I just need strings that last longer...don't need to be able to pull a trailer with 'em.

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a 2 pack.... geez that's so 2014....

this is the new way to buy strings:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/daddario-exl110-guitar-strings-bulk-pack-light-25-sets?cntry=us&source=3WWRWXGP&gclid=CjwKEAjw0-epBRDOp7f7lOG0zl4SJABxJg9qsszJb6JCxEe6XKkKpWUKriWsHHLeSSxK_Eq6y8zP_hoCT5Xw_wcB&kwid=productads-plaid^80557592667-sku^104579000000169@ADL4MF-adType^PLA-device^c-adid^51870555867

 

Jeez...I thought the Elixirs were expensive. $15/set...and you have to buy a 2-pack, it seems. For the lower gauges, I suppose a stronger string is useful if you snap them a lot. But I bend the daylights out of my 11's and haven't broken a string in years. I just need strings to last longer...don't need to be able to pull a trailer with 'em.

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  • 1 month later...

bridge1.png

 

These parts can make a noise if you pick it with your pick. The G string on mine was pronounced when I picked it, and it sounded exactly like the sound that the G string was making when I picked the string normally. Putting a piece of masking tape around that part of the string made the noise go away.

 

Thanks for this suggestion clay.

 

I just changed the strings on my JTV59 today and I wrapped the tails in masking tape before fitting them and it makes a great difference to the tone - just like you found with the JTV69 - it drastically reduces the metallic clang which was always plaguing me!  I never knew if it was  programming fault due to a bad flash install or a problem with my JTV59 or just poor models - but turns out it's just a bad physical design of the bridge allowing the tails to contribute to the overall sound instead of the string being cut off at the saddle with the piezo.  Having the combined bridge/tailpiece on the JTV59 allows all this extraneous transmission of noise back to the piezos - along with the fact that hey can also move around a little within their pockets.  Wrapping the tails is a great idea for an easy cost effective fix which drastically reduces the problem.  Sure - it's a bit fiddly putting the little bit of tape on before fitting the strings but boy is it worth it!  The JTV59 models sound much better!

 

I recommend anyone with a JTV59 try wrapping the tails of their strings next time they change their strings!      :)

 

Thanks again Clay!     :)

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Thanks for this suggestion clay.

 

I just changed the strings on my JTV59 today and I wrapped the tails in masking tape before fitting them and it makes a great difference to the tone - just like you found with the JTV69 - it drastically reduces the metallic clang which was always plaguing me!  I never knew if it was  programming fault due to a bad flash install or a problem with my JTV59 or just poor models - but turns out it's just a bad physical design of the bridge allowing the tails to contribute to the overall sound instead of the string being cut off at the saddle with the piezo.  Having the combined bridge/tailpiece on the JTV59 allows all this extraneous transmission of noise back to the piezos - along with the fact that hey can also move around a little within their pockets.  Wrapping the tails is a great idea for an easy cost effective fix which drastically reduces the problem.  Sure - it's a bit fiddly putting the little bit of tape on before fitting the strings but boy is it worth it!  The JTV59 models sound much better!

 

I recommend anyone with a JTV59 try wrapping the tails of their strings next time they change their strings!      :)

 

Thanks again Clay!     :)

yeah for a while I was wrapping the ends with plumbers tape, now I have switched back to a velcro strip again..  Both methods seem to work well..  I like the added comfort palm muting with the velcro strip..

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yeah for a while I was wrapping the ends with plumbers tape, now I have switched back to a velcro strip again..  Both methods seem to work well..  I like the added comfort palm muting with the velcro strip..

 

I might try the Velcro too next time ..... at rehearsal last night I did notice that my 3rd string has a very pronounced clang to it now on every model so wrapping tape at the end of that one seems to have not worked .... I could hear it jump out at me every time I played the string, even tried playing gently thinking it was the fact I was hitting string too hard but could not get rid of it.   The 1st and 2nd strings sound much better and overall the subtle flanging sound that can be heard on some models is all but gone. Annoying that the 3rd now has the pronounced clunk ...   so I will have to spend some time trying to work out how to fix it.

 

I am toying with the idea of putting a tail piece on my JTV59 like you did with yours .... that will avoid the issue of having to tape up the ends ... but I guess you still get the resonance transferred through the bridge itself which is why you still need the Velcro?

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I used to put a bit of heat shrink on the ends of my strings on my strats to stop breakage .Slide a peice down to the end and heat it up with a lighter. Better than tape maybe.

 

Good idea.   Will have to try that too.

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I might try the Velcro too next time ..... at rehearsal last night I did notice that my 3rd string has a very pronounced clang to it now on every model so wrapping tape at the end of that one seems to have not worked .... I could hear it jump out at me every time I played the string, even tried playing gently thinking it was the fact I was hitting string too hard but could not get rid of it.   The 1st and 2nd strings sound much better and overall the subtle flanging sound that can be heard on some models is all but gone. Annoying that the 3rd now has the pronounced clunk ...   so I will have to spend some time trying to work out how to fix it.

 

I am toying with the idea of putting a tail piece on my JTV59 like you did with yours .... that will avoid the issue of having to tape up the ends ... but I guess you still get the resonance transferred through the bridge itself which is why you still need the Velcro?

Yeah it reasonated a little but it feels way more comfortable playing compaired to the wrap around bridge only.  Biggest issue (with just the wrap around bridge) was the noise from the string ends vibrating againts the bridge it rang through the bridge piezo like crazy.. And more often than not my palm would get cut from the bures on the string ends...  I like the shrink tube Idea also..  The velcro just feels really good on your palm and it mutes it also so double wammy...

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Yeah it reasonated a little but it feels way more comfortable playing compaired to the wrap around bridge only.  Biggest issue (with just the wrap around bridge) was the noise from the string ends vibrating againts the bridge it rang through the bridge piezo like crazy.. And more often than not my palm would get cut from the bures on the string ends...  I like the shrink tube Idea also..  The velcro just feels really good on your palm and it mutes it also so double wammy...

 

I have ordered a tail piece and some 10mm wide black velcro today ready for next time I change my strings.

 

However, I found some white Velcro in the cupboard and decided to slip a small piece of that under the tails just before they reach the saddles - so I loosened off my strings and snuck in the small pieces and they seem to have reduced the resonance even more and seem to have removed the clang and metallic sound!

 

I wish I had tried this ages ago - the JTV59 sounds so much better and the models more realistic now all the metallic ringing overtones have been removed!  The only downside is that I now need to go in to Workbench HD and readjust my models and also re-tweak my patches where necessary due to the tonal difference in the guitar and how each string now sounds.  But - I am happy that it is sounding much better!   :)   That annoying resonance and metallic overtone has been bugging me for so long!

 

I recommend everyone with a JTV59 puts the Velcro strip on the bridge just behind the saddles, and wrap the string tails with tape for good measure - or install a tailpiece.

 

Thanks for the suggestion katiekerry.     :)

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I have ordered a tail piece and some 10mm wide black velcro today ready for next time I change my strings.

 

However, I found some white Velcro in the cupboard and decided to slip a small piece of that under the tails just before they reach the saddles - so I loosened off my strings and snuck in the small pieces and they seem to have reduced the resonance even more and seem to have removed the clang and metallic sound!

 

I wish I had tried this ages ago - the JTV59 sounds so much better and the models more realistic now all the metallic ringing overtones have been removed!  The only downside is that I now need to go in to Workbench HD and readjust my models and also re-tweak my patches where necessary due to the tonal difference in the guitar and how each string now sounds.  But - I am happy that it is sounding much better!   :)   That annoying resonance and metallic overtone has been bugging me for so long!

 

I recommend everyone with a JTV59 puts the Velcro strip on the bridge just behind the saddles, and wrap the string tails with tape for good measure - or install a tailpiece.

 

Thanks for the suggestion katiekerry.     :)

I am so jazzed that helped you, Its so much more inspiring playing a instrument that sounds the way its supposed too..  when you install the tailpiece you will be able to lower the action allot also  ( without any fret buzzing).  Good luck though I like to here good things like that..  And just a heads up I use the soft half of the velcro not the harse plastic side but it may work also...

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Not quite sure I follow the physics behind a change in tailpiece reducing fret buzz.  Can you explain a bit about that?

I think possible the angle that the strings originally wrapped around the bridge was allot sharper of an angle than when using a tail piece that allows the strings to be more parallel with the fret board right from the get go..( I know after it hits the bridge saddles it is parallel with or without the wrap around bridge)  All that I know is that after I installed the tail piece I was able to lower my string height significantly with out getting buzz from the frets..   I always set up my guitars with the lowest possible action after I purchase them..

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